The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has met with officials of State Pilgrims Welfare Boards to harmonise the exchange rate that will be adopted for the 2026 Hajj cost computations across the country, among other measures for successful Hajj operations.
The development was contained in a press statement issued by the Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Fatima Sanda Usara, to journalists in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
In his remarks, Professor Abdullahi Usman, Chairman of the Commission, called for unity between the State Pilgrims Boards and NAHCON for the success of the country’s 2026 Hajj operations. He also appealed to state executive secretaries to take the issue of medical screening very seriously, considering the emphasis placed on it by Saudi Arabia.
NAHCON also disclosed that efforts are ongoing to negotiate reductions in certain cost components, such as cargo handling charges, to ease the financial burden on intending pilgrims. The Commission, however, emphasised that service providers’ rates will not be arbitrarily reduced, as this could affect the quality of services pilgrims are expected to receive.
The meeting also forwarded a complaint to the Central Bank of Nigeria Board Member representing NAHCON, Dr Adetona Adedeji, requesting a reduction in the bank’s charges on pilgrims. Dr Adedeji noted the possibility of reducing the 2% charge imposed on each pilgrim’s transaction.
In a related development, the Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management, and Finance, Alhaji Aliu AbdulRazak, announced that the Chairman has approved the regular transfer of funds to the CBN as they are received from the States, to take advantage of the positive exchange rate.
The meeting also discussed the Mashair space reserved for Nigeria’s pilgrims on the NUSUK Masar portal, 66,910 slots for the 2026 Hajj, contrary to the 95,000 slots usually allocated to Nigeria. This means that the actual number that can participate in the 2026 Hajj is 51,513 for the Federal Capital Territory and States, including officials, while 15,397 will go to licensed tour operators.
The reduction, according to the Commission, is due to Saudi Arabia’s cut in Nigeria’s camp slots because of underutilisation in previous years.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Operations, Prince Elegushi, revealed that earlier allocations will be reviewed based on each state’s utilisation during the 2025 Hajj.
The Commission further requested States to submit the number of registered pilgrims to confirm alignment with NAHCON’s projections to facilitate commensurate planning. It also reminded States of the new remittance deadline of December 21 and advised each state to set an internal deadline to ensure all funds are received and transferred to NAHCON before the cutoff date.
Dr Saidu, a representative of the Nigerian Ministry of Health, read out the new medical policies from the Saudi Ministry of Health, stressing that all intending pilgrims must be healthy and active and that a compulsory medical check-up certificate will be required.
He recommended that medical screening should henceforth be conducted only by designated hospitals, and that only specific persons of integrity should be authorised to sign off on medical certifications, which will then be countersigned by the State’s Chief Medical Director to curb forgery.
The Commission emphasised that visa issuance will be linked to medical certificates, which will be verified at the point of entry. Hence, all medical regulations must be strictly adhered to, as any violation will hold Nigeria collectively accountable.